02 Oct 2016 19:20:01
So spurs show today that City aren't invincible and Pep isn't the second coming, don't get me wrong it will be a tough game but if we do what the manager wants and that is to press the ball and not give them space then I feel we could come away with something.

1.) 02 Oct 2016
02 Oct 2016 20:46:32
so do I.

2.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 11:07:08
They have a better team than us. They ave creativity in midfield, and attack with pace. It's time to take a reality check here. We have recently lost to Norwich, lost to Bournmouth, and drew with Crystal Palace (a game we should have lost) . So to think we will get anything out of this game baffles me.

3.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 11:18:30
Yes they have a better team then us but maybe they don't have pessimistic fans like us who just go looking for the negatives constantly. Liverpool have a better team than Burnley but lost 2 nil, United have a better team than Stoke but only managed a draw yesterday, so to use that statement to write us of before a ball is kicked is irrelevant. Try focusing on being supportive and getting behind the team home or away and if we act like a twelfth man it can help the players to raise their game. My original point was that Spurs gave us an insight into how to counter Peps tactics and if we do this right as a team we can come away with something. I'm not saying oh we are great and are going there to win 3-0. Seriously do think we have the most pessimistic 'supporters' in the country.

4.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 13:30:10
Maybe we just have supporters who are realists. I've watched my club for enough years now to see what level we are at, and to put a real insight into the two games you mentioned. Both teams missed a hat full of chances and should have won comfortably. But your right they didn't. So would I be happy to watch us get battered but come away with a draw? No. If that happens then deluded supporters will again think we are going to finish top four, and we are not. Negative? No, just a realist.

5.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 13:56:39
I get both sides of this discussion. At the beginning of the season someone on here said to me Spurs were mediocre. My reply was basically that Man City and Spurs would be the top 2. So Spurs beating them is not a surprise. We do have a tough run of fixtures now, but I am more confident with this manager and set of players than I was with last season's.

6.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 14:42:58
I am also a realist and don't believe we will be top 4, I would be happy with top 8 this season as it is our transition season. I still believe we have the players to go to City and actually win, they will not be as compact as other teams have been against us namely your Norwich and Bournemouth and even Palace as you mentioned and as good as they are going forward they are suspect at the back with Otamendi and Stones who we all know is prone to mistakes when under pressure. The fullbacks are not great either and are not better than what we dealt with against Spurs and I feel they will not like Bolasie and hopefully Mirallas running at them. We are not as poor as them games suggest. We are a work in progress and will get better with each training session and hopefully that will show on the pitch. Would I be happy with a point away to City? Yes, do I feel that's all we should hope for? No. Do I feel we will get a hiding? No. Do I think we will lose? Maybe. We have a 2 week break to regroup and go again.

7.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 15:08:51
So city are a poor side with poor defenders. Remind me where are they in the league?

8.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 15:12:53
We've been in transition for about five years now. Unless of course you mean transition phase two.

9.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 15:17:02
I didn't say they are a poor side I said they are suspect at the back. They have plenty of attacking flair going forward but there back line can be suspect at times.

10.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 15:19:30
We where in decline under Martinez we are now in transition under Koeman.

11.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 15:22:53
Have to admit I know Twoold2 and knew his old man. Think they where there when Goodison was built. But believe you won't find any other colour blood but blue in their veins. Guys just saying it how he sees it.

12.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 16:12:35
Exactly milomj.

13.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 16:37:24
Twoold, your post does come across as pessimistic mate. There is no such thing as a dead cert win in this league, believe me I have the betting slips as proof! But the OP is correct, we are in transition this season as we have a new manager who hasn't got the players in that he wants to drive us forward. That, as RK says, could take a couple of transfer windows. Changes will happen and hopefully they will be for the better.
City aren't infallible, as the spuds showed us yesterday. With, as Bluegray said, the right tactics there is no reason why we can't get anything from the game. I'd rather go into the match thinking we can get at least a point rather than expecting to be beaten.

14.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 16:48:54
And that spudv was the point I was trying to get across, that we should not go there with an inferiority complex and negative tactics just because on paper they are better than us. They have weaknesses as do we but I will go there with optimism knowing that we have a man at the helm who actually has tactical nouse about him when it comes to playing the top sides, let's not forget they have conceded 5 goals in there last 2 games and that is why I stated they are suspect at the back.

15.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 17:30:11
Twoold is absolutely right. I've never seen a team with supposedly lesser players win any football match ever. Never. Never ever.

Show me some evidence and and I'll admit we could actually beat or draw against City.

Does anyone know what score it was for Celtic against city in the CL recently?

16.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 18:12:36
BlueJohnUns I'm assuming that is sarcasm 😂.

17.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 18:16:33
That's true look at Norwich and Bournmouth. They managed it. So yes your probably all right and I'm wrong. Only time will tell.

18.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 18:25:55
There is no right or wrong Twoold2 it's all about opinions and football will always split opinions.

19.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 20:48:52
On that we agree bluegray 👍.

20.) 03 Oct 2016
03 Oct 2016 21:27:26
Look no further than Leicester City over a season, take a look at weekend results, Man Utd, Man City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, not one of those teams won over the weekend, and against lesser teams, maybe that might give you a little belief that lesser teams can beat or hold the bigger teams Bluejohnuns.

21.) 04 Oct 2016
04 Oct 2016 09:16:45
To regard City as some kind of 'masterclass' of unbeatable superior race of footballers is just crazy because as John has cheekily alluded to Celtic etc. .

Pep will make mistakes, especially in the PL Spurs e. g. and giving up hope before a ball has been kicked in anger so to speak is defeatism and defeatism is a contagious disease in my book!

22.) 04 Oct 2016
04 Oct 2016 10:04:15
Football is between 22 people on a field. It's not the players on that pitch that gets the result. It's the preperation, confidence in delivering the tactics chosen and then execution that gets you the result.

As an example Eddie Howe had tactics and a plan when they played City BUT in his pre match conference all he did was talk about how amazing city were and how great Pep was. It was embarrassing. That took away the confidence and belief from the players that they could get a result. They got beat 4-0.

Show respect but don't make out they are some unstoppable force. Pep has won most of these games on reputation rather than any mystical, immovable force he possesses.

The best managers are managers that have a plan and the ability to get the players to understand how to deliver it. Then the 30 minutes before kick to give the players confidence and motivation in execution it on the day. I believe Koeman can do this.

23.) 04 Oct 2016
04 Oct 2016 10:38:29
Well said BlueJohnUns. I am not a Pep fan tbh and don't buy into this big love in of how great he is. He hasn't really built a side from scratch and achieved great things in football, he was Barcelona manager where as long as you finished above Madrid you won the league and that was with players that were mainly blooded by Rijkaard. He then went to Bayern were again they are expected to win the league because of the financial clout and now onto City again to a team with already superior players and an open cheque book. So is he a great manager because of what he has won? He didn't win the Champions League with Bayern which is the most competitive competition they faced as there league is weak, will he win it with City? I can't see it this season, that's just my opinion though. If we go to them and get in there faces they will not like it and we can unsettle them.

24.) 04 Oct 2016
04 Oct 2016 15:12:00
Well said bluegray. eventually someone who feels the same about Pep as I do. He took over two huge clubs in their domestic league that are expected to win week in and week out. The same as Jose (apart from his time at Porto) . what next, Brendan Rodgers is class because he should lead Celtic to win the league.